Avarice
by LoveBackwards
Summary: Mod. Seven people brought together in an unknown place, unaware of even the time. Despite the circumstances, they only desire the answer to one question: why?
1. Good Morning

"Where am I?"

Was the first mutter from Bankotsu as he awoke. Little did he know, it was the first thing that came from his chapped lips in months. He slowly eased his achy body so he was propped up on his elbows, glancing around his location. He felt the stiffness in his muscular neck as he started to rotate it. He brought a hand up to his chin and cracked it to the side, his whole body felt this way he comprehended. Stiff. Like he had been in years of slumber without moving, part of him wanted to remain the way he was, but the ache wasn't subsiding in his current position so he slung his legs over the end of the bed he was on, though he didn't recognize.

As he got to his feet his knees buckled, causing him to nearly collapse against the bare white wall. He leaned his weight on it, hoping the blood would circulate in his legs soon, just so he could walk, he'd be satisfied with limping at this point. He scrunched his nose and looked down at himself. He was wearing what he remembered last wearing, a v-neck white t-shirt and loose-fitting faded jeans. His black Timberlands, too. What had changed in his outfit was him. Sweat stained down the front, and he assumed the back, of his shirt. It was down the sides of him as well. Only then did he realize the beads of sweat dripping from his loose hair, then he wondered why it was out of its usual braid.

He peeled the thin shirt off his well-toned torso, carelessly throwing it aside and making sure his dog tags stayed in place. His brows furrowed, what was going on? The room he awoke in had two beds, the one he woke up in and one parallel to that. He noticed the molding of a head in the other bed's pillow. Someone was here, maybe someone with answers. That only angered him. The humidity here was crazy; he wanted to be back in his apartment, back working, nothing made sense. Had he gotten so shit faced he ended up here? He looked for a window and saw only on, a narrow one that neared the ceiling of the white room.

His ears stopped ringing; he could hear the sounds around him rather than the blood thumping between his temples. They went into phases frequently; they'd ring for seconds, minutes; sometimes longer periods at a time. A side affect of war. Now, he heard the sound of running water. It was distant, but he was sure that was the sound. Holding one hand on the wall, Bankotsu slowly followed to where he believed the source of the sound was. He felt disgusting, he didn't smell too great either, and despite the long-term rest (he figured it had to be long, though he had no idea how lengthy it actually was) his body felt tired. He had a routine everyday, getting his muscles some use. They were so tense; a simple step took so much determination.

The random side door he only just noticed opened at a normal pace. He growled a little, preparing himself for whatever was on the other side. The running water had stopped. He should have been more alert. Emitting from the steam that flooded out of the room beyond the door exposed the figure of a man. When he came out, in the dim lighting of the room, Bankostu was able to catch his features. The man before him had to be around his age, give or take some years. He was well-built, wearing nothing but a towel at his waist, and his widow's peak pulled back into a braid that ran down his back. He had lightly tanned skin, just a few shades lighter than Bankotsu's, and piercing red eyes. Eyes that right now, were staring into Bankotsu's. Trying to read him. At least, he guessed that, for that was exactly what Bankotsu was attempting to do. Read the man before him, his thoughts.

Unlike Bankotsu, this man seemed calm. How much sooner had he woken up? Was he perhaps the captor, or whatever he was supposed to call the man who took him here? Was this a façade, him feigning to wake up the same way? He straightened his posture the way he had done many times before, opening his mouth but finding his voice dry.

"Who are you?" The man asked. He dropped his clothes on the bed beside him, they looked clean. "You mind?" He arched a brow and Bankotsu scowled, glaring daggers. "I don't know what's going on." He stated blankly. Bankotsu's brows only knotted tighter to this, he didn't like people understanding his thoughts, especially people he didn't know.

"Where the fuck are we!" He finally managed; the words that had built up in the back of his throat. That he was trying to find the moistness in his mouth to yell, allow himself to reveal his frustration, even having only been here 17 minutes. The man rolled his eyes.

"Look dumbass, I told you. I. Don't. Know." He said, glaring out the corner of his eyes as he redressed himself. "I woke up the same way you did."

"Then why are you so calm?" Bankotsu questioned, figuring he had to trap him. The man sighed and sat on the end of the bed, putting his boots on casually. "Well?" He pressed and the mean pointed to the room he just came from, Bankotsu assumed it to be a bathroom. He peered over just enough to glance inside the room, seeing the shower curtain sprawled across the tiled floor, a mirror cracked, and anything that could be demolished or thrown around…demolished or thrown around.

"I did my venting, scoped the whole fucking place out. There's no sign of anything, figured I'd at least wash up, felt disgusting. I think we're in a desert, but now that I'm ready, I believe we can go our separate ways." He shrugged and Bankotsu continued to eye him skeptically.

"Why would you wait for me?" He asked.

"I didn't, I woke up weak, drank a shit load of water, scraped up what I could for food, walked at least a mile diameter around here finding nothing, and figured I may as well clean myself up." He put both hands on his knees, looking back to Bankotsu.

"So where are you headed now?"

"Beats me. There's a shower or whatever in there, guess it's your turn to freak the fuck out. Have fun finding what I haven't already destroyed." He grinned and Bankotsu kept an eye on him as he walked by. Water, food, and a shower. Enough to clear his head maybe. He made a step into the bathroom (also completely white), and just as he went to shut the door, he felt a strong arm wrap around his neck from behind. He gagged. The man yanked his head back by his bangs.

"Get…off…" His raspy voice demanded, attempting intimidation.

"Listen asshole, I want to know where the fuck we are, why we're here, and how we got here. I don't have one fucking clue so I suggest you tell me before I snap your pretty little neck." He whispered in Bankotsu's ears, his tone sharp. The tone Bankotsu wished he could muster. He paused for a minute, actually holding his breath, then with what was left of his strength, curled forward, reached back, grabbed the man's shoulders and swung his entire body over, leaving the man on his back in front of him. He panted but kept it quiet, he felt the blood coursing through his veins now, felt his strength coming back. Clearly the man hadn't braced himself for such retaliation, he stared in shock for a few moments, wincing as he got up, and then charged himself at his enemy.

"Back the fuck off you psycho!" Bankotsu grunted. Their arms locked on each other's shoulders. Still both in a weakened state, they were matched. Hiten snarled, made an aggressive shoved which was just enough to make his opponent stumble back a few steps. He sat on his bed, panting.

"You know something…" He said between breaths. Bankotsu shook his head, walking so he was towering over him. Hiten looked up, and then saw the tags that reflected the few beams of sunlight that made their way in the room. He yanked them in front of his eyes and Bankotsu tensed and pulled a fist back. "Bankotsu…" He muttered, running his thumb against the lettering that came out. He let go and Bankotsu glared.

"Yours?"

"Don't worry about it." He got up and made his way to the door. "Hoped you'd be of more use."

"Don't you think there's a reason we're here? You don't want to know who did this and...what reason?" Bankotsu grumbled, hating that it sounded as though he depended on this hasty stranger. He shrugged in response.

"You think it matters much."

"You'll die in that desert alone; sticking together could open more doors, just until we figure this out." He pointed out and Hiten pondered the thought. He didn't like teamwork; he couldn't even be on a sports team as a child. He liked loner work; he had a low-tolerance for outsiders, unfamiliar faces. He kept who he had to close, and right now, that was only his sister. "We don't have to talk, just get out of here."

"Alright." He agreed after some thought. He reached in his back pocket and threw the bottle of Poland Springs water at (versus to) him. Bankotsu caught in, now realizing his thirst, and downed it. "Make sure you drink…" His voice trailed off to a sigh. "Go shower dumbass." He waved his hand and Bankotsu did so. Stripping his jeans and boxers, he'd wash as soon as he found where he could; he stepped into the open shower.

Hiten sat on the end of the bed patiently. His temper was boiling inside of him, he didn't like not knowing. He reached in his pocket, which had been stripped of most personal belongings. He was craving a cigarette, maybe he wasn't trusted with them, and maybe it was the lighter. Either way, Hiten had access to neither. He pulled out his worn leather wallet, all money and credit cards were removed, no ID or license, just one picture. Souten. Quickly tucking it back away he made his way outside. He leaned against the side of the cabin-like shelter he woke up in. It only had two rooms he noticed. Kicking the sand up and watching it slowly drift back to the ground, a weak wind blowing it slightly to the side. Then Hiten noticed something he hadn't before. They were vanishing with the sand but it was unmistakable. He must have walked right by it before, his anger clouding his thoughts as well as his vision.

There, deeply marking the dirt: tire tracks.


	2. Empty Trust

They walked for what, to them, seemed like forever. The empty tracks they had been following leading nowhere, dust filling the air they breathed. Hiten coughed frequently, his lungs didn't seem able to handle the clouded air. His focus was straight ahead, occasionally glancing to the ground to make sure they were on key. Bankotsu, however, seemed to take in more of the scenery. He was curious, and when he got curious, he got anxious.

"Do you think we'll be there soon?" He muttered under his breath. He started kicking the sand up with the toe of his boot, stopping when the man, whose name he still didn't know, nudged him roughly and pointed to the tracks. He shrugged, that was his apology…sort of.

"Where?" Hiten asked in an annoyed tone, wiping the sweat from his hairline. Bankotsu shrugged again and he felt his eyebrow twitch. Getting stuck with someone he didn't know was bad enough, why did it have to be an idiot? He stretched his arms over his shoulders and looked to the sky for the first time since they started their walk. It had been a beaming blue color before, clear of all clouds, now it was a mesh of pink and orange, blending together as they neared the horizon. "It'll be dark soon."

"Yeah…" Bankotsu let out a yawn. He stopped a little short, cocking his head and causing Hiten to glance over at him. He stopped walking and rubbed both of his azure eyes, making sure his eyes weren't joining his mind in playing tricks.

"What is it?" Hiten demanded, his tone yet again impatient. Bankotsu pointed and he looked ahead, he began to pace forward. His speed increased as he got closer. He was running faster than he had in a while, panting as he reached the small cabin that was similar to his own. He grew worried, what if they had walked in a circle somehow? What if this was where they came from, had they wasted their daylight? He growled when the door didn't open, it was locked. He banged on the door viciously.

"Calm the fuck down." He looked over, realizing his exhaustion as Bankotsu squeezed his eyes shut and punched through a window on the side. He hissed as he slowly pulled his bloodied knuckles away, plucking the glass from his skin.

"What if it's…" Hiten stopped when Bankotsu took the opportunity to speak, the opportunity of Hiten stopping to catch his breath.

"There was only one window in our place…a small one, like we were in a basement…now sh." He climbed in and the skeptical man did the same. The room was similar, only there was a single bed here. The top sheet was wrinkled, just enough to show a figure had been lying on it, they both quietly stepped around.

"Anyone here?" Hiten called out, they waited. Nothing.

"Maybe nobody's here…maybe aliens moved me from this bed to your room in my sleep." Bankotsu waggled his fingers and Hiten whacked him over the head, hearing a grunt before searching the room, soon moving to the bathroom. He stopped and signaled for Bankotsu to come over. In response he scowled, though walked up behind the stranger.

A girl sat against the corner of the bathroom. She wore sandals, a short white skirt and a low-cut, black v-neck tank top. Her head bowed forward, just enough so her bangs covered her eyes. It seemed like she was cradling something. Bankotsu cautiously stepped toward her and Hiten watched; a little amazed at how silent the obnoxious man seemed to be when needed.

The girl groggily lifted her head and blinked. She saw a man in the doorway and one approaching her; her eyes widened as she pulled the object from her lap and pointed the nose of the gun at Bankotsu, who instantly froze. Her hand trembled uncontrollably and he saw the dried mascara that stained her cheeks. New tears seemed to replace the ones she had wiped away before their arrival. Hiten held his hands up and approached while Bankotsu remained frozen.

"Get away!" She shrieked, her voice cracking. They could see her fear, like them she woke up somewhere she hadn't seen before, but now it was two guys and her. Then it crossed Hiten's mind that this may have been a part of whatever game he was forced into. Bankotsu frowned to her, bothered by her fear, and Hiten remained unmoved, scowling with his hands lowered to his sides.

"Put that down." He demanded and her brows knotted together under her bangs as she supported the weapon with her other hand. "Where the fuck did you…get this?" He spat through his teeth as he snatched the cold gun from the palms of her hand. She yelped and crawled back, kicking at his legs until he roughly grabbed her ankle.

"Calm down, asshole." Bankotsu eyed him as he continued looking the frightened girl in the eye.

"Tell me. Where you found. This gun." He whispered and she held her unsteady arm out, point in the direction of her room. He threw her leg to the ground, dropped the gun, and shoved Bankotsu aside as he stormed into the room, ripping it apart.

"You ok?" Bankotsu approached her and she growled at him. She pushed his hand he held out to assist her away and began demanding to know where she was, who he was; all the questions he and the man in the other room had already fought out.

As Hiten flipped the mattresses and threw whatever he could, he found a small door in the corner of the room. He opened it and saw a black, leather case, slowly pulling it out. He opened it and saw three handguns; the girl must've not found these. He wondered if he left anything like this behind at the place he woke up in. He mentally slapped himself, how could he not check for something? What if he missed something big like this? He tucked one handgun in the back of his jeans, taking the other two in his hands. Bankotsu would get one, the other one was his as far as he was concerned.

"Her name is Yura." Bankotsu blinked as Hiten got to his feet, handing him a gun.

"Just these two…and hers. Now let's get some rest." He stretched and Bankotsu skeptically handled the gun, getting a feel to it.

"We're all leaving in the morning?" Yura poked her head out of the bathroom and both men looked over to her, nodding. "Alright…" She clutched the gun subconsciously; nothing was making sense to her.

"You find any personal belongings of yours beside your clothes?" Hiten asked and the girl meekly shook her head. "ID, photographs, jewelry, anything?"

"No." She stated more firmly and he rubbed the back of his neck. This was making less and less sense. He watched her crawl on the bed and Bankotsu sit on the end. "Get off." She quipped. Hiten rolled his eyes and made his way to a corner of the room, leaning his back against the wall, letting the two argue it out.

"I deserve this bed more than you…and don't worry…I'm not _too_ frisky or anything." He winked and tensed when he was roughly shoved off the bed by her bony hands. It having been unexpected caused him to land flat on his face. She rolled over on the bed, facing her back to the two, before burying her cheek in the pillow. Bankotsu slowly crawled on the edge of the bed and latched onto the end of the mattress, preparing himself to be rolled off.

"Cant handle the floor, army boy?" Hiten scoffed and closed his eyes, resting the back of his head against the cornered wall. Bankotsu mocked him in a childish tone and took note that Hiten's gun lay flat in his hand, his finger on the trigger as he drifted to sleep.

"What's your name?" He whispered, hearing the girl beside him snore soundly. She must have been more exhausted than them, a girl alone in some desert. He dismissed her thoughts and watched Hiten glance to him.

"As far as I know, you could be behind all this. Maybe you already know my name, maybe you-"

"Look, I'm just as lost as you. I never even saw you before, and now I'm waking in some strange place and traveling with you. All we really have is each other, as stupid as that sounds. Gunna have to open up somewhere." He watched Hiten shift his weight so he wasn't facing him anymore.

"Maybe when I like or give two shits about you, I'll give you my little sob story. Until then, go eat shit you fucking psycho." He mumbled under his breath and Bankotsu sighed and looked out the small window.

If they did run into anyone else, he could only hope it wasn't an asshole stranger like this guy. He swore he'd seen the girl somewhere before, but where?


	3. Suppressed Memories

"_Where will we go?" Souten mumbled. Fifteen-year-old Hiten frowned to her, remaining silent as he guided her by the hand. He shrugged, not having much to say. Witnessing your parents burning to death wasn't something ideal, nothing something a small child should have to see._

"_I don't know…" He muttered, feeling her gaze on him as they walked. _

"_Will mommy and daddy find us?" She asked and he bit his bottom lip anxiously. He didn't have to look to her to know there were tears. He shook his head and her lip quivered. He threw himself down on the ground under the bridge, pulling her on his lap. _

"_We'll be alright." He soothingly stroked her hair._

"_I wanna go home." She cried in his chest, not understanding. He felt his own vision blur but refused to let tears fall. He was responsible for her, and so he would be strong for her. They wouldn't end up in some bullshit foster care; he would take care of her. _

"_We don't have one right now, Souten."_

Hiten's eyes snapped open and he groaned, shielding the sunlight from his eyes with his hand. Why had he had such a dream? Technically, it was a flashback. He didn't like it. Glancing around the room he saw Yura was still peacefully asleep, but the boy, Bankotsu, was missing. He shook his head and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead before getting up, dismissing any acknowledgement to his nightmare.

"Hey!" He called out, getting to his feet as he searched. The girl remained asleep and he rolled his eyes. He was stuck with a moron and a lazy whore. He found Bankotsu sitting outside, contently drinking a bottle of water, staring into the horizon. "Ready to head out?"

"Have to wait for her to wake up." Bankotsu shrugged casually, taking a sip from his bottle. He seemed peaceful enough to concern Hiten, though it was another thought pushed to the back of his mind. He nudged him with the toe of his boot.

"Why should we do that? You need a piece of ass that much?" He teased and Bankotsu rolled his eyes, though he grinned to the comment. He then shook his head and Hiten arched a brow.

"I recognize her from somewhere, but I'm not ready to fuck anyone I see around here. Risks too much, I just think we all got put together a reason, be it good or bad, so we're best off sticking together until we find out what exactly." He looked up with his deep, azure eyes and Hiten scratched the back of his neck. That all sounded too full of meaning for this dimwit. He opened his mouth to speak but stopped when the girl poked her head outside, smiling faintly at the sight of them and approaching.

"So…did you guys have any food when you…woke up?" She asked hesitantly and they both glanced down to their stomachs, now realizing the emptiness.

* * *

The trio walked in silence, finding nothing edible in that small shelter, they decided to travel in hopes of something, anything. Were they put here to starve to death? It didn't make much sense, but what about their situation did? Bankotsu took on the role he had before, when it was just him and Hiten, in gazing around at the area. He looked around with a childish glint in his azure eyes despite the fact that nothing really seemed to change as they went on. Yura had her arms crossed tightly across her chest and was also looking around, only it was more frantically. She was scared, paranoid. Hiten ignored them both. He was determined to find a way out of this mess, or maybe wake up from this dream; nightmare?

"How many circles have we walked in?" Bankotsu asked in a raspy voice, even though he held the plastic water tight in his clenched fist. He learned how to preserve water; something told him he'd have to share towards the end.

"None." Hiten scoffed at him disapprovingly. Yura blinked over, and then joined Bankotsu in stopping. Hiten growled in his dry throat and looked to the side with them, wiping the beads of sweat that formed at his hairline with his arm. The whistling of the wind almost made the sounds of shouts from inside the shelter inaudible, almost. Bankotsu picked up his feet and started jogging towards it. Yura looked to Hiten warily, who shrugged at her casually before following the eager, child-like adult.

* * *

She snarled as she whipped whatever she could across the room to the cross-dressing man she had never seen before. Both of them had one wrist were cuffed to their separate beds on opposite sides of the room. The man with the feminine voice (and make up more expensive than hers) shouted insults, demanded to know where they were. Like hell she knew, she woke up _after_ him.

"You whorey little slut, you better start talking! Wait until I get loose, oh-hoh you're in for it, hussy!" He quipped, trying to lunge forward, only for the metal cuff on his wrist to pull him back, toward the bed. Idiot, she'd tried that more than twenty times already. Only she was smart enough to realize the legs of the bed were bolted to the floor. She was hunched over, panting from exhaustion and the incessant heat. She brushed her bangs aside, she could feel her bun already half-fallen out, her strap of her tank top fallen off her shoulder, and she didn't care. Her heavy panting and clenched teeth were all she really felt, that and the thin layer of sweat on her skin.

"Listen, you fucking asshole." She whispered and the man rolled his eyes at her, huffing and muttering his insults he had just been yelling. "I don't know where the fuck we are!" She heard her voice crack; she didn't care about that, either. She was frustrated and hot and tired and for some reason, her muscled ached. How long had she been asleep anyway?

"You lying hussy!" He yelled back, throwing his feathery pillow at her. It hit her square in the face before falling to the ground in front of her. She snarled, it was like she was going insane in this little heat box. Who did he think he was? Where was she? She lunged forward. She was taken aback at first, but she ignored it and kept reaching, clawing her self-manicured nails in his direction, and he went back to her, taking a fistful of her hair and yanking her to him. She yelped and managed to scratch across his face, hearing a grunt escape his lips. They froze when the door opened, her grabbing his cheek and him yanking her hair.

"…Jakotsu?" A tanned man smiled, his piercing azure eyes showed gratefulness, excitement, finally someone he knew out here. His family, his brother was with him. Jakotsu seemed to return his smile and he took note of the cuffs and began shuffling around the room. The girl with scarlet eyes stood frozen, not attempting to fix the strap of her tank top or the ruffled mop of hair on her head. The man found the keys, in the bathroom by the sink and blinked at the girl, just taking note of her presence. He half-smiled, a little startled by the hateful look in her eyes. The stone cold glare she gave him with those red eyes.

"_You_." She spat.


	4. Let Downs and Fear

"…me?" He gave her a blank, confused stare. The two keys dangled in his hand as he did so, as if he was struggling to remember. This only seemed to irritate her more, her gaze never moving from his. It made him not want to break it, something about her anger towards him made him feel a deep guilt. But what? What could she be angry at him for?

"Uhm…Bankotsu?" His brother, Jakotsu, snapped his fingers to get his brother out of his prolonged daze. Bankotsu shook his head and walked toward the man in drag, focusing completely on the set of keys in his hand.

"So…this is what you're into then?" Hiten smirked and Yura nudged his arm gently. He glared at her and she returned, though she had to mentally admit intimidation. Hiten ignored her and looked back up, obviously Bankotsu knew the guy, but why did the girl know him? Clearly he had pissed her off, and they were both cuffed.

"Shut the fuck up." Bankotsu responded dryly, letting his brother loose. Jakotsu sighed in relief and rubbed the red indents on his wrist.

"Forget her…let's leave her to rot brother and…_well_, well, who is this?" Jakotsu purred, blatantly winking at Hiten, who cringed in response. He watched the drag eye him up and down and heard Yura giggle lightly before he decided rejecting him would be worth the fight.

"Don't fucking touch me." He spat and Yura bit her bottom lip, clearly immune to his angry wrath.

"Oh…I like 'em feisty." Jakotsu took a step nearer and Hiten held up the night stand that the keys had been in, ready to chuck it at the lunatic's head. Jakotsu merely seemed amused as he pushed his boundary, taking a step closer and watching Hiten step back for every step he took.

"You don't fucking remember!" The woman shrieked and Bankotsu winced. She took the pillow Jakotsu had thrown at her and threw it at the man, like that was any punishment or use in general. He took a cautious step closer and she growled, readying a fist.

"Sh…sweetheart, you must have me mistaken." He cooed, holding up the key between his thumb and index finger, showing that he meant no harm. She had her jaw tightly clenched and her nails dug deeply into the skin of her tender palm. He held his hand out and when she made no gesture, he took her cuffed wrist and turned the key until it was open. "…see?" He smiled nervously. She lunged her body and being it was unexpected, he fell back, grunting as his spine slammed against the hard floor.

"I hate you!" She shouted in a clearer voice than before, clawing across his face and trying to rip his hair out. He hissed as he tried to pry her wrists away and Yura attempted, though her uneasy efforts couldn't keep up with Kagura's angry assault. The three stopped at the sound of a gunshot and they stared in the direction of the bathroom. Bankotsu roughly shoved the girl off his waist and ran in, seeing Hiten pointing a gun and Jakotsu, panting and disheveled, who just missed the bullet.

"What the fuck?" Bankotsu snarled and Hiten glared.

"I told him not to fucking touch me." He lowered the nose of the handgun and Jakotsu huffed, adjusting his clothes.

"I say someone's way too uptight." He rolled his eyes, unfazed by the ordeal. Bankotsu snarled and snatched the gun, pulling the trigger at Hiten's foot. Hiten went to tackle him but stopped at the sound of a light click. They stared as Bankotsu did it again.

"One…bullet?" Bankotsu checked and frowned. He shuffled through his gun and frowned when he found the same. "Well…you…wasted yours. Lucky I don't find you useful enough to waste mine on." Hiten went to reach behind his back but stopped, he'd only pull that one if he really had to. It wasn't like he was going to kill this fairy bastard, anyway. Just a nice shot in the leg would suffice. Bankotsu threw the useless gun aside and leaned back against the sink. They stood in silence for a few moments before the women entered.

"We should get going…" Yura mumbled.

"That psychotic bitch will kill me in my sleep." Bankotsu scoffed and the girl growled.

"Name?" Hiten asked, staring at the floor beneath his feet.

"Jakotsu." The drag grinned and Hiten felt his eyebrow twitch out of frustration. Instead of glaring, he averted his eyes to the unfamiliar girl, who was glaring into space. Maybe she was more aggressive than him? He doubted it. The thought did make him smirk.

"Kagura." She said with confidence. She seemed almost opposite to the other one, Yura. Very blunt, and though he did admire her courage, he wondered what problems it would bring him. He didn't like taking orders, and up to here he had been somewhat guiding the lost caused boy and clueless girl. He nodded to her and she nodded back.

"The guns only have one bullet…" Bankotsu sighed and Yura cocked her head. "So no more fucking around with them until we figure out what it's for." It sounded more like a question than an order, Hiten remained silent. There was a pause before Bankotsu turned on his heel, quickly making his way by the girls in the doorway and walking outside. Jakotsu followed and Hiten refused until he watched the girls do so.

* * *

The silence they walked in was eerie. Bankotsu and Hiten had grown accustom to looking for small shelters to the side, and seemed to be the only two doing so. They were almost out of water and all tired. The heat took a toll on them, but they didn't exactly trust each other enough to sleep around one another. Bankotsu tapped Hiten's shoulder and pointed ahead. Hiten looked over lazily and blinked, it wasn't a shelter; it was a man approaching them. They stopped walking and only then did the others do the same. The man seemed to take notice to them and stopped across from them.

"What's up there?" Hiten asked, his tone raspy from dehydration. The man had a resemblance to Bankotsu's features, he was much paler, and his eyes were more lenient to a scarlet color, like Hiten's.

"Who the hell are you?" He scoffed and Hiten sighed, tired of the amount of fighting.

"We woke up here…" Bankotsu cut in, catching on to Hiten's annoyance. "Kind of in the middle of nowhere…but these tracks lead to where you were coming from and well…me and him started at the end of them." He gestured toward Hiten and the man pursed his lips. He glanced around. A peacemaker, an angry bastard, a pissed off woman, and one who didn't know what the fuck to do.

"I did too…" He finally said. "Hoped I was going the right way…" The last thing he wished to do was admit he was wrong. "Ryura." He said, nodding in acknowledgement to the others.

"Yeah, yeah." Hiten scoffed. "Friendly introductions later." He walked ahead.

* * *

"So where are you from?" Yura asked the only other girl alliance she had. Kagura shrugged dismissively. Yura frowned and they heard the ones ahead of them laugh lightly. It wasn't reassuring, but maybe hopeful. Kagura grabbed Yura's wrist and pushed between them, getting the view of some civilization. It was some distance away, but it was visible. Was it over? Just like that? She smiled.

They didn't take notice to the distraught frown that appeared on Bankotsu's face, or the way he looked around anxiously. They didn't take notice until he tackled Hiten to the ground, a bullet from the distance whizzing straight by his head, or where it would have been had he not been roughly pushed aside. They stared ahead in fear, some paranoia.

What were they walking into?


	5. Questions Unanswered

"How the fuck did you know that was coming?" Hiten snarled, roughly shoving Bankotsu off him before easing himself up and brushing the dust off his clothing. Bankotsu merely glared back, forgetting why he bothered to save the bastard. Yura went to help one of them up but not before Kagura held her arm up to stop her.

"What's going on? You know something." She arched a thin brow to Bankotsu, who shifted his gaze to her.

"You leave him alone, hussy." Jakotsu remarked, crossing his arms for nothing more than intimidation.

"No, I don't!" He snapped and Hiten muttered under his breath, pacing ahead of them all, his eyes anxiously darting. What if another shot came; got him right between the eyes? He wasn't sure he cared all that much at the time. His muscles ached and he hadn't eaten in a while. They were almost out of water and sweat drenched his clothes. What if there wasn't even a way out of this? He hoped he woke up soon.

"It's empty!" He shouted over his shoulder, stopping the bickering between different members of their little group. They all looked up to him quizzically; they hadn't even noticed he went up ahead, did they? He rolled his eyes and took his first step onto the worn pavement that made a road, or so he assumed. Squinting his eyes, he realized he could see the other side of this abandoned nothingness of a town. He glanced over his shoulder one last time, seeing them just starting to approach, before going ahead. He couldn't stand traveling with them any longer. He turned a sharp corner, looking for something, anything, that could help him figure out where he was.

* * *

"Seems pretty sketchy to me…" Ryura eyed the man in front of him who was already edgy from the accusations.

"You look pretty sketchy to me…maybe we should get to know each other better." Jakotsu winked.

"He's a good liar." Kagura acknowledged and he stopped in his tracks, causing the four behind him to blink before walking to catch up. He grabbed Kagura's arm and pulled her back to him before she went ahead with the others, pulling her into a narrow alleyway and hoping the others wouldn't notice. Luckily, they seemed too caught up in their surroundings, and Jakotsu in Ryura.

"What did I do to you?" He whispered in an agitated tone, watching her jaw clench, her scarlet eyes piercing through the shadows. "Well? Go on, tell me. _You_ seem to know all about _me_, tell me what I did, so we can clear the air." He waited a few moments; it was like she had frozen. She placed her hand over his that was wrapped around her petite arm, grasping it and hearing him hiss from the pressure of her nails.

"Get your hands _off_ of me…if you don't know what you did to me then go fuck yourself. I know it was you, and I hope you rot in hell once this place kills you." She spat venomously and he continued to stare, ignoring the pain she caused in his hand. He tried studying every feature he could in her face. Her high cheek bones, almost like a model's, and button nose. Her lips were thin, he noticed now she had red smudged lipstick. Her eyebrows were dainty, but masked by her bangs, that led him to her eyes.

"…you look familiar…" He mumbled, frowning when she began to tear up. She yanked her arm from his grasp and he blinked down to the indents left on the back of his hand.

"_Familiar_? Fuck off, don't try to talk to me anymore, like I said, if you can't remember then you really just don't care you soulless bastard."

"Look, I'm trying to work this out so there isn't so much fucking tension! None of us really know each other, we don't know where we are, and you making snide comments just won't end well for either of us!" He stopped when she harshly slapped him across the face.

"Fuck you and your trying to make everything convenient for yourself." He growled in his throat and gripped her wrist, pulling her body to his and nearing his face dangerously close to hers. Maybe she was startled by this, she was quiet again, but he couldn't really tell. She put up a big front, one that was hard to tell if she was pretending or not.

"Listen you bitch, don't you _ever_ fucking lay your hand on my face again." He was panting from the overexertion of yelling before; it was easy to see how tired he was. His eyes were slightly sunken in, a frown plastered on his lips, and had it not been for the son, she guaranteed he'd be pale. She kept her jaw clenched for the first time while he waited for whatever remark she had. "Good…you said this place will kill me…how do you know?" She groaned loudly and pulled away to no avail when he grabbed her other wrist.

"Are you kidding me? You think I really know what this place is?" She quipped, her tone sharp again. The tears that had nearly fallen just a few moments ago were nowhere in sight.

"You're sure hinting at it."

"Just focus on trying to be the peace-making wonder boy you're trying so hard to be. Don't try interrogating because if you actually are telling the truth in saying you know nothing, then I know about as much as you." She furrowed her brows and he seemed to be thinking over what she said because he squeezed her wrists tighter before letting go. "Good, don't follow me." She walked out. He scoffed, sure. He peered over the corner before following her path.

* * *

"You don't know where we're headed?" Yura asked; Ryura shrugged in response, looking around at the run down buildings that surrounded them with a bored expression. Jakotsu had wandered off a short way back to find Bankotsu.

She didn't seem to take much interest, the girl, so long as she had someone to follow. Then again, out of the three guys, Ryura considered himself the least skeptical. He told them his name and didn't have Final Destination premonition bullshit. But he remembered he always put himself above strangers, especially the kind he didn't care for. "They're not with us anymore…" She whispered, breaking his thoughts, but he didn't mind all that much.

"Good, that guy gets annoying after a while." He stopped and grinned; Yura looked over and cocked her head at the sight of a bar. A bar without people, but full of liquor. He pushed the wooden door in and she followed close behind him, shielding her eyes with her hand. The sun beamed brightly in the room, making the mass amount of dust mites visible. Dust and cobwebs seemed to take up the floor and ceiling. The window's had a thick layer, making it almost impossible to see outside. Yura walked around the wooden bar along with the liquor rack and tried to wipe the dust from the window, finding herself unable. It had been there for some time.

"I doubt any of it's still good…"

"Please, shit like wine never expires." Ryura rolled his eyes, opening the bottle and making sure she didn't catch him glimpse at the expiration date. "We're safe out here for a while." He wiped the dusty wine glasses with the outside of his shirt and scrunched his nose, not the cleanest thing but it would do.

"I don't think drinking should be what we're doing right now…" She looked back, sighing as Ryura leaned back on the barstool and put his boots up on the bar. He rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath while he sipped his drink, his expression showing slight distaste. He'd finish this and maybe find some good hard alcohol, wine wasn't his think.

"And let me guess, someone like you never drinks, you're just an innocent little…thing, aren't you?"

"Someone like me?" She glared; he noted it was the first sign of any emotion he got from her other than worry and fear. He felt just a little proud of himself, he always seemed to bring things out of people he never intended to. He nodded, gesturing to her short skirt. She attempted to pull it down and stepped behind the bar, hiding herself and looking away. "Whatever."

"It's nothing bad…what better way to set the mind at ease than drink? I know you're a party girl…let's be realistic, things can't get much worse or more confusing." He poured her glass and she hesitantly took it before sitting on the end of the bar and sipping it.

* * *

Hiten let out an exasperated sigh as he leaned his deadweight against a brick building. It wasn't a bug one, maybe two or three floors. He must have been searching for hours, or so it felt like that to him. In reality, he had only been separated from the others for a half hour or so. He needed water, a bed that sheltered him from the strong sunlight. A part of him wished they were around, what if they found something? Then he remembered they probably didn't and stopped missing them. His sore muscles tensed at the sound he heard, it was like a clicking sound. It was like the sound of a gun; a gun being reloaded. He regained his posture and looked around.

"Who's here?" He asked, looking through the doorframe across the narrow road. A door was never bolted on, but he could make the figure out. To his surprise, he wasn't killed then and there, it approached him. The figure of a woman became more visible, one with her thick long hair down, matted to her forehead and some more detailed features. She had a well-toned body like the others, a larger bust, but an angry glare. Only this one was armed with a rifle. These women just seemed to get crazier and crazier to him. "Where the hell did you get that?"

"Who are you?" She demanded; he scoffed; she wasn't even aiming at him anymore. How many more were going to pop out of this place? He hoped this was the last. "Answer me!"

"Calm the fuck down." He glared, in the matter of a moment tackling to pin her down. She grunted at the pressure but froze under his weight. "Don't you dare aim that at me."

"Get off." She warned. He would get up and determine what he needed to know about the gun himself, but that give her enough time to wield whatever weapon she had on her.

"How many bullets in that?" He asked, feeling the fatigue in his body. Holding her down seemed to take a lot out of him, and she wasn't even fighting him off…yet.

"That's not your business." She retorted and he growled, holding her wrists together with one hand above her head and feeling her squirm to the gesture. "Don't you dare!"

"Oh stop…like you're worth the trouble." Part of him thought she was, she was attractive, but so were the others. They all shared insanity; he was all set with complicating things anymore than they were. He felt around her waist at the top of her skirt and slid his hand up both of her thighs, feeling her body tense and jerk in response. She almost kicked him in the face the second time. "…nothing…" He eyed her shirt but she didn't seem to notice until he reached to put his hand down it, hissing when she bit down on his hand.

"I said don't!" She was scared now, he could tell. That or she was a good actress. He rolled his eyes.

"I'm searching you; stupid broads always think it's about sex. But fine, I'm sure you'd lose any weapon you stuffed down there anyway." He got to his feet and yanked her up. She yelped in response and gave an unnoticed glare. When she went to reach for her gun he pulled her away so it was just out of reach. "Name?"

"Not until you tell me what's going on, what'd you do with her?" She growled and he stared, sick of dealing with the same questions.

"With who? How should I know, I just got here, too. Stop being so stupid, now tell me your name." He remembered how the first thing he thought about when he woke up was Souten. Maybe this woman had some family to worry about, or maybe it was part of whatever collaboration this was and she was the eyes inside.

"You know." Her glare hardened and he snarled, roughly shoving her away. She stumbled backwards before regaining her footing, leaning her back against the doorframe and staring blankly into the open space in front of her.

"Whatever…"

"Abi…" She whispered and he looked over; she still wasn't looking at him. "That's my name."

* * *

**Just for you today, Marie.~**

**fanafiction(dot)net/~bewilderedloca**


	6. Personal Answers

Hiten yawned as the sun began to set. Its bright rays beamed in his scarlet eyes. There had been no sign of the others for what seemed like hours. Abi walked alongside him in complete silence, not sure what to really look for. Nobody else seemed to be here, Hiten was sure to keep his eye out for that, too. She pulled at his braid and pointed to the side, causing him to twitch but since she had been the one to discover the foursome down the street, he didn't protest too much. He gestured her to lead the way, more because he didn't trust her behind him than anything. She glared before doing so, approaching the similar man with the braid.

"What do you mean you _lost_ them?" Bankotsu glared at the man in drag, who shrugged casually and looked at his nails. Abi cocked her head, still not being noticed by either.

"Look, I was kind enough to look for you; a think a 'thank you, Jakotsu' would suffice, but noo, not when it comes to primadonna you." He rolled his eyes and Bankotsu growled. Hiten cleared his throat and they both looked over, Jakotsu with a sly grin.

"Miss me, Handsome?" He purred and Hiten kept his glare on Bankotsu, as though forewarning him about what could happen if his 'brother' kept it up. Bankotsu sighed and glanced at Abi.

"And who's this?" He winked and Hiten gagged before entering the building behind the two. It looked like a rundown hotel or apartment type thing. The others left him to explore, staying where they were.

"I'm Bankotsu…this is Jakotsu…" Bankotsu introduced, holding his arm out to Jakotsu.

"Do _not_ introduce me to some slag you just want to bed." Jakotsu huffed and Abi glared. Bankotsu nudged him in the arm and Abi shook her head, going inside to find someplace to sleep for the night. It'd been a few days since she'd had a full night's sleep.

"…can't believe you lost them…" Bankotsu muttered and Bankotsu groaned.

"Lost who?" Ryura grinned as he approached with his arms around Yura. Bankotsu let out a sigh in relief, though he didn't know why. It wasn't like he knew these people personally or anything. He noticed Yura wasn't so frantic anymore, she was actually giggly. Drunk. His eyes darted over to Ryura who still stood smugly, only now he waved the bottles of liquor in front of him. He knew it was probably a bad idea, but it seemed to be calling out to him. Maybe things could be sorted out a little, what linked them all here, over a couple of drinks.

* * *

Kagura crossed her arms as the sun barely peeked over the horizon. It was late, almost dark, and there would be a breeze tonight. Hell, there was a breeze now, she was fucking cold. Of course she knew that idiot was following her, so she lost him, but now she was lost, too. She had an idea on who put them here, maybe, but it seemed too irrational. She was looking for someone to blame when it was probably a complete stranger.

"A twisted stranger…" She muttered and glanced around. Not only was it cold, it was getting dark. Kagura wasn't necessarily scared of the dark, but something about these unfamiliar surroundings irked her. She waited for something, anything, to jump out at her. Then she heard that obnoxious voice, of course it was Bankotsu. She shielded her eyes with her hand, like there was really that much light, and tried to grasp where the sound was coming from. She couldn't see them, so she walked toward it.

* * *

Hiten smiled as he spotted a bed in the middle of the room. He was thrilled to see it; he didn't even realize the grin he was baring. He turned around and threw himself on it, sighing and closing his eyes. It felt good on his back, his aching muscles. It eased some of the tension, maybe now he'd be less irritable. He doubted it.

"What are you hiding from everyone for?" He tensed and sat up at the sound of her voice, Abi's. As quick as his mind was set to ease, he was alert again. She sat beside him at the end of the bed, but continued to focus her eyes elsewhere. He scoffed and lay back down, folding his hands behind his head. He closed his eyes only to slit one open, keep an eye on her. "You really isolate yourself."

"I don't care about them." He explained dryly and she nodded, playing with something on her lap. After a few moments, he grabbed her arm and yanked it, so she faced him. He could feel every muscle under her skin tense up, only to reveal she was playing with the end of her skirt. He shook his head and rolled on his side, hoping she'd take the hint and leave.

"What's your name?" She asked, crawling over a little so she sat up on the mattress. He shrugged and she sighed. "Well-" His hand clapped tight over her thin lips.

"If you're going to stay here with me you're going to shut up. I don't want them following your voice and it's generally annoying." He held his hand over her mouth a short while, staring into her eyes until he believed she understood enough to leave or shut her mouth. He let go and lay back down. She was timid; he concluded that without a weapon she barely had a voice. Casting a glance over to her he saw an indentation on her ring finger; married? She caught him looking and covered her left hand with her right. He rolled back over, he didn't really care anyway.

* * *

Kagura cautiously shut the door behind her, hearing a light click, before proceeding. It was set up like a lounge, maybe a lobby. She heard the voices from another room and rolled her eyes before going there. It wasn't yells or fight, for the first time in what seemed like forever, Kagura heard friendly conversation. They must be playing a trick; they saw her approaching and decided to fuck with her. The truth about this place would come up and they'd…her thoughts stopped when she found them, chairs pulled up around a table; it was a café. They were all looking at her.

"Yo…" She blinked and Bankotsu pulled up a chair beside him and patted it. She scrunched her nose, he reminded her of an eager little puppy. Jakotsu, who sat at his other side, scoffed but smirked when she went to the other side of the table, sitting between Yura and Ryura. She didn't care for them, either, but at least she didn't hate them.

"What brings you here?" Ryura winked and wrapped his arm around her shoulder; she wasted no time shrugging it off.

"Don't touch me." She glared and took a swig of whoever's drink was in front of her. It was all she could smell, they were eager to get shit-faced, too.

"Ok, I'll start. Hi, I'm Jakotsu. I'm 24 years young, as fabulous as ever, and I hate every single broad here. I'm from the city, never really went to school, and was a receptionist, now I'm a part-time stylist. I'm looking for the man of my dreams…where'd the other guy here go?" He looked around and everyone around here groaned. "Whatever, you all suck anyway."

"Alright…I'm Kagura; 22. I used to live with my brothers and sister…but they all hated me. Except Kanna, she was always quiet. I think she was neutral if anything…" Kagura paused for a moment, why was she saying all this again? Did she have to really clarify herself to these people, or did she just want to talk about part of her life and not be ignored? She never had anyone she could really depend upon before, and from the looks of it she'd be here a while. "I don't have a real job, either." She ended it with a sip from her glass and could tell they waited for her to continue; she didn't.

"My names Bankotsu…I just got out of the army about a year ago…they pulled me out for trauma." He frowned and avoided the gazes above him. "I don't even like the fucking army, their standards are so unbearable. I watched five of my best friends get blown to pieces on an old mine field. What did I get in return? Put in the hospital for over a month." He scoffed mockingly; there was silence. "My dad wanted me to do it, he went through war, but he didn't really like me. My other brothers are a doctor and a psychologist, they make good money and I wasn't, figured I'd give him something to like me for."

"My name's Ryura, I'm 24. I don't see a reason to tell you my sob stories like these babies, or anything about myself. I'll be brief I guess, I don't like any of you; I don't even like my family. Soon I plan to be out of here, and never see your faces again." He shrugged. They glanced to Yura, who was with Ryura in drinking ahead of them.

"I'm Yura, I'm 21. I…didn't really finish school. I'm a hairdresser now. I live by myself and…yeah." She stopped short, tracing the rim of her glass with her index finger.


	7. Upsetting Dreams

_Jakotsu sat in the middle of the floor in his room, well, it wasn't necessarily his, he shared it with his stupid little brother. The brother that hogged all the attention from their mother and cried about everything, the stupid three-year-old Bankotsu._

"_Dumb brat…" He muttered under his breath while he quietly played with the stuffed monkey on his lap. For the past four years, his entire life, this had been Jakotsu's favorite toy._

"_Ja, Ja, Ja!" Bankotsu flung the door open and Jakotsu groaned and rolled his eyes. "Ja…Jakotsu…" He panted, frantically pulling at his brother's sleeve. Jakotsu glared as he yanked it back._

"_What?" _

"_Th-the baby. Mom came home with the baby! It's a girl!" He was loud, that was for sure, but Jakotsu couldn't tell if his little brother was happy or angry about the new arrival. Personally, he didn't really care. Their dad already hated him, even though he didn't know why other than he whines too much and didn't like rough games like football, and his mom seemed to try to shut the youngest kid up first – well, second youngest now._

"_That's nice." Part of him hoped the baby and Bankotsu would just disappear, then he'd have his mom back with nobody to hog her. He wouldn't be stuck playing in his room all by himself because his other brothers were too old to play with him and his dad always made mean faces. He frowned and took the thought back. Though a nuisance, he did love Bankotsu._

"_Come see it with me? Come in the room with mom…dad cant pick on us, he's busy." His brother chimed and Jakotsu cocked his head. It was very true Fernando loved his first sons the most. Renkotsu and Suikotsu were just better, he guessed. He tiptoed with his brother in the room and crawled on the bed with his mother, Akira._

"_Where's the baby?" Jakotsu whispered meekly. He only seemed so to himself around her, he couldn't find it in himself to be upset with her. She held out the small bundle of blankets and let the boys get their first glimpse at their sister._

"_Her name is Masumi." She smiled and they nodded. He held his arms out and she smiled knowingly. "Not today…her body is still very week. In a couple weeks she'll be easier for you to hold." She pecked both their foreheads and pulled them to her sides. Jakotsu noticed the look on Bankotsu's face as he watched their sister shift; it was the same look he gave Bankotsu. It was jealousy of not being the baby anymore. He smiled to himself; he'd talk his little brother through it later._

"_What are they doing in here? What, you can't rest?" Fernando scoffed as he came in the room and sat on the end of the bed, pulling his boot off his heel._

"_No, no. They're just curious about the baby." She stroked his back and he remained silent, shrugging her off. He pulled the baby in his arms and cradled. Jakotsu frowned and nuzzled his face into his mother's side._

_What'd he ever do to his dad, anyway?_

_

* * *

_

Jakotsu quietly walked around the ground floor, everyone had found someplace to sleep last night. Though not everyone got a bed, he made a point of doing so, gladly scaring Ryura off his. Now, he didn't really care; it was the crack of dawn and he was awake. He was not an early riser, but somehow that little piece of his childhood came back to him. It was cold and everyone seemed asleep, soft snores echoed the halls. He couldn't get back to sleep, and he tried for what seemed like forever.

"Bankotsu?" He whispered, poking his head in the rooms he hoped to find him. Then what…after he found him, what could he do? It'd upset him if anything, Bankotsu hated their father, too. What if he had a dream, one from their past? What if instead, it was a happy one?

"Lost?" He jumped and looked over. Sitting at a table was Kagura herself, alone, sipping something from a coffee cup. Coffee? He shook his head; why did that even matter? His thoughts seemed so disoriented.

"No." He shrugged and sat across from her, at least it was someone awake so he wasn't alone. She scrunched her nose but made no other protests to him keeping her company.

"You look terrible." Kagura pointed out the bags under his eyes and Jakotsu glared.

"Likewise, whore." He spat and she scoffed and rolled her eyes, keeping her gaze away from his. He did the same; he could be bitchy if she wanted to test him.

"Whatever, was just making conversation."

"Yeah, well I'm tired." He huffed and she offered the last sip of her coffee, which threw him off. Did she poison that last amount when he wasn't looking? She wasn't as dumb as he said she was, but he took it, figuring it impossible for her to make it harmful. He took it in a swig and heard her tap her nails on the flat surface of the table across from him. "…thanks." He mumbled.

"Yeah, yeah. So what, you had a nightmare or something?" She began picking at her nails, not bothering to look up at him. Jakotsu couldn't tell if she was teasing or not, he came to terms that Kagura was a hard person to read.

"Sorta." He shrugged, playing along to see how she reacted. If she didn't really care, he wouldn't either. If she did, maybe he could talk to her. Just a little. Just so it wouldn't eat at him anymore than it had to. She looked up to him and he gave her a blank stare.

"Well? Aren't you going to tell me?" She quipped. He was ready to make a snappy comment back, only Jakotsu was too fired to argue with her. He always did, and right now he just wasn't in the mood. This would probably be the only one-on-one time he had with anybody for a while, why not make use of it?

He told her.

* * *

_Fernando was the most miserable at one point in his life. Sure, he was a generally frustrated man, but it only got worse with Akira's illness. He cooked and cleaned, and when he wasn't doing that he was nursing his wife. Jakotsu was around eight or nine, he remembered helping Renkotsu the best he could with Masumi, who was still too young to understand, he remembered one night when his father didn't come home right away, he wondered if he picked up drinking again._

_Quietly, he snuck into his parents' room. His mother's figure was visible under the blankets, so he crawled beside her and gently stroked her back. She stirred and looked up to him, forcing a smile though he knew she felt terrible._

"_How are you feeling, mum?" He asked and she nodded, pecking his palm which made him smile. _

"_Fine…I'll be fine, Jakotsu." She stroked his hair; she was always so affectionate, even though he could tell she didn't have the energy. He pulled the blankets over her shoulders, making sure she was warm, by now he heard Bankotsu's bare feet padding up the hall._

"_Promise?" He asked, even though he knew he shouldn't. _

"…_I'll be alright, don't you worry." She assured and he nodded, stroking her bangs so they didn't cling to her forehead anymore. He knew she was just saying that so he wouldn't get upset. She wanted him to be happy, otherwise she would get sad, too. So Jakotsu would pretend he believed her._

_She died a year later.

* * *

_

"Pretty weird…I mean that that'd come to you at a time like now." She said carelessly and he nodded, not really wanting to go into much else with her. He didn't really like her.

"Yeah I know…could you not tell anyone?" He felt like a child, asking for someone's permission or something. She looked away but her smirk vanished, her words were serious.

"I don't gossip like that…clearly it bothers you so just…don't piss me off and we're good." She looked back and he nodded, though he could tell she was playing a question in her mind over and over, she wanted to ask something. "Your brother…he was pulled out of the army for trauma?"

"Yep." Jakotsu waited anxiously, he wanted to know what was going on between Bankotsu and this woman.

"Does he…have any memory of the time he was at war? Like even the times he came home?" She asked and he wasn't sure what to tell, it was Bankotsu's business, but something told him she had the right to know.

"I can only tell you what I know, and I'm not the doctor in the family. He doesn't remember much, Ren says a lot of its repressed so it's blocked out. He remembers bits and pieces, but very little. I don't ask him much about when he was away or here, it gets to him." He explained and Kagura nodded, looking to her lap. "You don't seem too bothered by this place…only my brother."

"It's just a little dose of freedom for me."


	8. Confessions

Hiten groaned as he stirred, the sun was bright and the room was scorching. He peeled off his wife beater and swung his legs over the bed. He had passed out with his boots on, but took note that they were now neatly placed in the corner. He looked over his shoulder and saw Abi curled up tight beside him. Rolling his eyes he got to his feet, there had to be running water somewhere to wash up. He fixed his braid as he made his way down the hall.

As he approached the lobby he heard faint voices, whispering. Two of the girls? He shook his head when he saw Kagura and Jakotsu. He would ask them to be useful somewhere but he didn't care all too much about them. He avoided their path and jumped when he turned around to the sight of Bankotsu.

"What the hell?" He whispered harshly and Bankotsu merely shrugged, not the least bit intimidated. "What do you want?" He walked outside, knowing Bankotsu would take it upon to follow.

"We need to plan…something." Bankotsu said anxiously, scratching the back of his neck. Hiten arched his brows as he walked, not bothering to look at him. "We kind of all talked last night…about ourselves. We aren't related much at all. Where were you actually?"

"Not that it's any of your business, but I was getting some much needed sleep, drinking isn't much of a priority to me." That was a lie. If Hiten had found out before this morning when he saw the empty bottles that they had found liquor, he wouldn't hesitate to join in. Hell, he'd make it a point to get drunk. It would've been a nice escape.

"Well…we didn't all get shit-faced. So you and Abi then?" Bankotsu looked over and Hiten went to make a remark, baring his teeth in frustration, but chose silence instead. It would just go where it shouldn't if he continued.

"We need to find a way out." He said dryly, going into what looked like it had once been a convenience store and digging around. Bankotsu sighed and sat up on the counter.

"No…not yet." He stated simply, he wasn't sure he'd ever seen Hiten move as fast as he did to look up at him. "If we can't get out right away, and we don't have anything prepared, we'll just as well die here. We need food and water, and we have a good amount of ground to cover. I bet we haven't even seen half of this place." He pointed out and the edge of Hiten's lips twitched, just a little. He was the one being irrational now; he didn't like the idea of this dimwit outsmarting him. But he didn't argue.

"You're right."

* * *

Bankotsu lead them back this time. Hiten's face showed distaste, he hadn't found any source of showering. If it made him feel any better, none of them had. Then again, they didn't bother to look…

"We need to split up." He started and everyone at the table, mostly exhausted pale faces, looked up to him. They all gave the same, blank, empty stare. They were just as sick of it as he was. "We need food, water, and any type of clue to figure out why we're here…or where. It'll be easiest this way." He started.

"I'm not working with any of you." Kagura glared and he returned it. There wasn't time for protest, and if anyone started, everyone would drag it out.

"I'm with Ban…" Jakotsu said without hesitation.

"Shut up!" Hiten cut them off before anyone else could comment or complain. "I'm going for water, I don't give a shit what any of the rest of your little 'teams' do." He scanned the small group before him. He didn't want to have to tolerate Bankotsu and Jakotsu, Ryura was just another cocky asshole. He had a broad who was ready to take on the world and one who was too scared to say much of anything. He chose the happy medium. "You." He pointed to Abi, who blinked up and cocked her head.

"Hm?"

"C'mon…you can come with me." He waited and she slowly got to her feet, approaching him and standing beside while the others awaited some type of order or command.

"We didn't even plan anything." Bankotsu scoffed.

"Why is everything between you two? What makes you both so damn special, don't we get a say in anything?" Kagura stood up, proud of her argument and Bankotsu bit his bottom lip, turning to look to Hiten who wouldn't waste time shutting her or anyone else down for argument's sake. Hiten had already left it seemed, and Abi with him. That only pissed him off; who did he think he was; who did _they_ think they were?

"You're coming with me and Jakotsu." He spat and Kagura's eyes grew wide, emotions flooding in. Words that were ready to escape her tongue, but she saw the small smirk Jakotsu had. Clearly their little discussion had given him some trust with her. So far, he was the only one she actually bonded with. The other two she wouldn't trust at all.

"….fine." She said unexpectedly. She could tell it threw Bankotsu off, too. He was lining up his comebacks mentally, but it ceased with her submission.

"We can try to get some hints since there are more of us, you two can handle food?" He asked and Ryura shrugged. He would take it for a yes, Ryura wouldn't really agree to anyone's orders in a way that was obvious, anyway. "So 24 hours…and I guess whenever they get back…"

* * *

"What makes you so timid?" Hiten asked irritably. They had been walking in silence for some time now, and the heat continued to take its toll. They should have waited until sundown; that would have made more sense. He looked over and she shrugged, staring ahead of her as they walked. "Don't lie, there's a reason."

"There's not a lot to say, really." Her tone was sharp, like when he had first approached her. Maybe she was bipolar. For now, it was his diagnosis.

"Sure there is. Alright, who did you think I was keeping from you?" He asked and she scoffed, avoiding his gaze. She was more outspoken when they were alone or maybe when she was alone with anybody. Either way, he viewed it as another way that she owed him, for getting her away from those nuts.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She mumbled and he could tell she was growing annoyed, it only tempted him to push her further. Why not, everyone else seemed to get acquainted.

"Don't fucking lie to me, I hate liars." He furrowed his brows, still watching her. He observed her gestures, crossing her arms and tapping her finger on her forearm. He couldn't tell if she was nervous or aggravated, she still wasn't facing him.

"I don't care if you hate me or not." She whispered and he waited, thinking of something. He was getting somewhere, and she seemed somewhat stable. Maybe he should have gone with Bankotsu. He wouldn't say it out loud, but he didn't really mind the bastard as much as he pretended to. Bankotsu was actually rational, and at least they could make conversation. If not, it wouldn't be a tension-filled silence; it'd be a comfortable one.

"Yeah, well let me tell you something, nobody's going to have your back around here the way you shut yourself out. If you keep this up, I won't either. You wouldn't care, right?" She let out a long sigh in response and he rolled his eyes and mouthed 'whatever'. It was a useless attempt.

"…I thought you knew where my daughter was…" She mumbled; he stared.

* * *

Bankotsu dug through another abandoned-type building. He sent Jakotsu off to wander a different floor, but hadn't given Kagura much of a task. So she watched him absent-mindedly. She hoped to speak with him now, after what she'd learned from Jakotsu. She wanted to see if it was the truth, if she could get through to him, and maybe get what had been bothering her off her chest and mind forever. She crouched beside where he was on his hands and knees digging. It seemed like a heap of old furniture thrown together, but he was as curious as a child. She held her hand out and hesitantly poked his shoulder. He tensed up before looking over to her, panting from the heat and his labor.

"What's up, you find anything?" He asked and she frowned. That was all he expected from her; then again he trusted her enough to take her along with him, even after she tried to blatantly threaten him.

"I need to talk with you." Another statement she'd said that caught him off guard. He crawled out of his little space and plopped on the floor, wiping the sweat from his face with his palms. That didn't help much. She sat on her hip, holding her weight up with her arm. "What do you remember…during the time you were at war?" She could see in his eyes he tried to remember. He was trying to grasp anything that would satisfy her, but it was blank.

"Nothing." He finally admitted and she looked to her lap. His answer crushed her, just a little. Still, a little pain was pain and it was unavoidable really. Kagura had gotten used to getting hurt.

"How about any of the months you were home?" She asked with a dose of hope, but doubt couldn't help but to dominate her emotions. She still didn't look up to him, but he was studying her.

"No…I'm sorry." He whispered and she nodded, looking around before getting to her feet. He grabbed her wrist and she pulled it back. "Can you just tell me already?" It was more of a plead than a demand, which almost made her pity him.

"It's not worth it." Clearly, she wasn't either. Not to him. She made her way down the hall, leaving him in wonder.

_

* * *

She fixed her hair in the mirror; it had been a while since she dated anyone, always having restrictions. But this guy was different, she could tell. She could finally get out of her bastard brother's house and move forward, not necessarily the jump-in-his-arms type of thing, but he promised he'd help her get away however he could. And she believed him, even if they had only been together a month._

_Kagura was always so eager for hope, though._

_There was a light knock on the door and she made sure her makeup wasn't smudged in the least. She grabbed her heels and wobbled as she put them on while going to answer the door. Her skintight dress wasn't helping much. She couldn't even remember the last time she got to dress up, it excited her. She opened the door faintly panting, and smiled._

"_Hey…" Her smile went flat with his slur. She scrunched her nose and took a step back as he advanced to give her a kiss. Of course, nothing could ever be perfect for her. Not even for a night._

"_Maybe we should do this another time." She felt stupid, almost ready to cry, getting all dolled up for another loser that couldn't even show up at her doorstep sober. He shook his head and let himself inside, shutting the door behind him. She went to open it back up only he held it with his palm. She glared and attempted again, only for him to pull her to him, his toned arm around her slender waist._

"_I have to leave tomorrow…" He whispered in her hair as she squirmed at the pressure. She looked away; he never told her that. Sure, he was in the army, but he didn't tell her he'd be gone so soon. He began kissing her neck and she pushed his face away._

"_Then I guess I'll just see you when you get back." She quipped, more out of hurt than anger. He took it for the other, and became angry himself. Or maybe it was just his drunkenness that did. She didn't really know. _

"_That's it? You make me see you for a month and can't even put out when I might die?" He scoffed and she rolled her eyes, resisting the urge to wipe the tears before they fell. How many times had he used that line? He pulled her more forcefully to him and ignored her struggles as he laid her back on the couch._

"_Stop it…go fuck someone else if that's you're only concern." She warned, grunting under his weight and feeling the string of her panties snap. Her face flushed, he wasn't about to harm her, he wouldn't do that._

"_Shut it…not like you really meant anything anyway." He lifted her dress and she struggled to pull it down, only his weight was between her legs. He smirked at her attempts as he unbuckled his pants._

"_I said stop!" She kicked and hit and even tried to bite him, but it was all useless. He had no problem holding her hips up, or forcing himself in. He had no problems when she screamed and cried. He ignored her pleas and begs._

_He was like the rest, he proved it to her. _


	9. Known Secrets

"Shouldn't we tell them?"

Abi sat crouched beside the well, conveniently near a small spring of water. Her back faced it as Hiten washed up behind her, feeling relief, like the tension was washing away from his body with the sweat and dirt. Maybe he would have offered her to clean up first, she seemed like a high maintenance woman, but it didn't cross his mind. When he saw it, he actually smiled; water. Water, drinkable (he hoped) water. Water he could bathe himself in, something that would allow him to survive. It was a little cold but still refreshing.

Behind him, he heard the young woman, Abi, continue to question him. So concerned for the others who he knew were being selfish with their findings. They could hold out a few days without them and water. If he could find food on his own, Hiten would probably stay by himself. Abi would run off in a few days to check on them and he could easily avoid her. It could be his little escape from the world. He grinned, and then frowned. What if they escaped without him? What would happen to Souten?

"It's already getting dark…" She whispered and he eased himself up and pulled on his boxers and jeans. She had her knees to her chest, staring at the sky as if it'd give her answers. He sighed and sat beside her.

"Go wash up before it's too dark, and then we'll find shelter." He stretched and she got up quietly and did so. He heard her strip before slipping into the water. It was like this was all set up for them, like they were caged animals with only what they needed. The water made trickling sounds with her body movements, but he made sure not to look. She was already freaked out enough.

"Why don't you want to go back? I thought that was the agreement." She asked with her back still faced to him. He shrugged, assuming she was watching him, and began braiding his hair. "They could have information or something and we're just-"

"I could really use a cigarette…" He cut her off with an exasperated sigh. She returned his response with one of her own, focusing on washing her thick hair without any real soap; disgusting.

"It's bad for you…smoking." Her tone sounded motherly, almost soothing to his ears. He lay back on the dirt and folded his hands behind his head. He rolled his eyes and her nagging seemed to cease.

"You got a picture of your daughter?" He looked up to her, seeing her hair flow down her backside. He realized how long it was now that it was wet; it went below her ass. Maybe that's why she didn't care he was looking, or maybe she didn't realize he was even watching.

"No…why?" There was a glint of hope in her voice and he felt just a little bad for bothering to ask her. He sighed and looked away when she peered over her shoulder in his direction.

"Just curious…" He started out, but curiosity couldn't keep its mouth shut. "I have one of my sister, and I have custody of her so I was just wondering…I mean, that's the only possession that I had on me. Wish they would've had the decency for one cigarette, too. Who'd that hurt?"

"You." He listened contently as she walked out of the water that didn't go beyond her waist, his thighs. She wrung out her hair and he wondered how she would bother drying, he didn't really require it. He figured she'd continue the conversation after a few moments, but she didn't. He got up and she crossed her arms over her chest, he didn't see why; she had a bra on already. He held out his tank top to her.

"Dry up…you'll complain if you don't." He reminded and she nodded hesitantly in thanks. "How old is she?" Still, Abi remained quiet a while, drying while pondering it.

"Four." She looked up as she pulled her shirt over her head. He would go on about Souten but it wasn't her business really. He wasn't ready to confide how worried he was, anyway. His only family was in Hawaii, he yearned to know where she was. Maybe it was similar to how Abi felt, maybe not.

"You're married?" He pressed on as he put his boots back on. She glared and he sighed, realizing he crossed the line. She sat across from him, leaning forward as though to let him know he had her full attention.

"You ask me all these questions, yet you never tell me anything about yourself." She pointed out. Her voice was a lot stronger than it had been the first night he found her. She was confident, at least around him. Now, he wished she was back to being quiet and to herself. He didn't tell her his life story because he didn't want to. Still, he managed to think of one thing he could tell her he hadn't told the others. Maybe it'd keep her satisfied for a little while.

"My name is Hiten." He stated in a flat voice. She stared at him quizzically and he went from proud to confused; shouldn't she be smiling or something? Wasn't this a sign he at least trusted her with his name (which wasn't much, really).

"Well…I knew that." He blinked.

* * *

"Boring…boring….boring." Jakotsu droned as he threw the documents on the desk behind him, crumpling each one in a tight ball before doing so. He sighed and carelessly pushed the rest of the papers off the old desk. Kagura scoffed with a smirk, sorting through the cluttered, dusty furniture.

"Did you even look twice?" She asked without facing him. He sighed dramatically and threw himself on the couch she had just barely pushed out of the way; that made her twitch.

"I don't need to, so what if it does even say this place's history? How will that help us? We need new stuff, to find out why someone just put us here." He slumped and Kagura thought it over before sitting on the arm, it was too gross for her to actually sit with him. Either way, he had a point. She questioned if they were even supposed to be here, what if this place was coincidence? She was sure she'd sound crazy if she asked aloud. "Banks is just uptight with doing something wrong; I guess our father scarred him that way, being a perfectionist." He rambled.

"Ah…" Kagura sighed and tapped her index finger on her chin. She was ready to leave this place, it gave her the chills and it was already getting dark outside.

"Speaking of him…I couldn't help but overhear you two talking?" He smirked and she groaned, getting to her feet without second thought. He made a 'tsk' sound with his lips and pulled her back by the wrist. "So, what's the deal? What happened?"

"Nothing." She spat through a tightly clenched jaw. Instead of intimidating him, it seemed to egg Jakotsu on. She subconsciously hissed and yanked her wrist from his hold.

"You guys find anything?" They jumped as Bankotsu came in the room. Both glanced at each other before shaking their heads; something itched at Kagura to tell them possibilities, but why do that now when it was highly unlikely to begin with? If she had leads, she'd come clean.

"Oh…me neither, but I found out some stuff on this place. Guess there was a disease years ago that either wiped you out or made you run off. It's general but it took me a while to read it." He shrugged. Jakotsu sighed.

"Can we head back now?"

"Yeah we should…it's getting late out." He agreed and held his hand up over the window. Kagura got up and dusted her clothes off, she felt old just being in the building.

"No…we should stay because it's getting late. It's dark and there's no street lights." She huffed and crossed her arms. Bankotsu arched a brow at her, trying to get an understanding. He figured she'd be the first to want to get away from him.

"Scared of the dark?" Jakotsu waggled his fingers and she cast him a glare that at least caused him to stop. He got up and stretched his arms over his head. "Whatever, you losers have fun I'll be exploring."

"So…are you?"

"Huh?" She looked back to Bankotsu, who was already focusing on her.

"Afraid of the dark." He reminded and she scoffed and looked away; what an idiot he was. A clueless forgetful idiot; the kind that seemed to be able to erase all the bad things. A little part of Kagura envied that. "Never mind…there's only one room here. You can have it." He offered and she bit her bottom lip.

Never having been good with words, Kagura extended her hand to grab his. She couldn't tell if he was thrown off because she turned too quickly to lead him out of the room. She wandered aimlessly until he gripped her hand and took her in the direction of the spare room. In the doorway, he pulled away and she looked to him.

"You don't owe me anything….so it's better nothing happens between us right now. At least not until this is all resolved." He brushed his lips against her forehead and she covered her mouth with her hand.

Why couldn't be so persistent when he was the same Bankotsu she remembered?

* * *

"So…when did you start taking care of yourself?" Ryura asked tiredly as he watched her cook. Yura had been quiet as she usually was, but she seemed lost in her own thoughts. She didn't even argue with him, which made him feel like he had no purpose if he wasn't upsetting her.

"What do you mean?" She looked up; she assumed the boys would eat the most so she had been trying to prepare a good amount of food while being able to save some. It was preservatives anyway, nothing great. Starting a fire seemed like the bigger hassle, but she had to make sure she was making it right. This was the only thing she'd really done for anyone here; Bankotsu and the other guy that found her always seemed to take charge.

"You don't seem dependant on people, so I'm assuming that in real life you aren't." He sprawled on the chair and she looked to him curiously.

"In real life? Is this pretend to you?" Her voice was stern and he chuckled under his breath.

"I just prefer to look at it as a bad dream." He winked and she shook her head and became more attentive to the food. He sighed; he always seemed to be around people when they were in a shitty mood, just his luck.

"Well it's not….I was around fifteen or sixteen when I lived by myself." She changed the subject, not in the mood to be insulted during an argument or be questioned repeatedly just because he felt he was getting to her.

"Why so young? Bet you had bad parents, that's usually the case." He went on amusing himself. She let him ramble and somehow blocked his voice out.

"Just…things happened." She muttered, not sure if he heard her.

* * *

"_You should dress up more." Her grandmother chided, exhaling the smoke from her umpteenth cigarette of the day. The scent made Yura scrunch her nose; it stunk up the room and even the clothes in the house. She had been staying here for three weeks now and still wasn't used to it. "This is your mother's funeral, you know." She reminded, as if Yura had forgotten why she was expected to dress in black today._

"_I know…" She mumbled instead of speaking her mind, her thoughts on the situation. Good, one less drunken whore left walking the streets or beating her children – child. Yura was an only child now._

"'_I know'." The elder woman mocked as she put her cigarette out and blew it aside, adjusting her black veil; Yura was grateful she wasn't expected to wear something like that. Then suddenly she wanted to, to shield her eyes and the emotions they possessed. "You kids these days think you know everything." _

"_Oh." She looked to her feet. They only had a half hour to get to the cemetery; she was hoping they could leave early and avoid conversation._

"_Such a shame, dying so young like that. I mean, I knew she was mixed in with some bad people, but being stabbed to death? Nobody deserves that." Yura almost laughed, this woman and her mother did. Well, maybe not this woman, but her daughter certainly. She knew what she was doing, almost a year ago. She knew what she was doing to her baby boy._

"_Yeah." She nodded meekly. She knew the reference of blood staining your hands when you killed, would it forever haunt her in a non-metaphorical way? Would she start to feel grief and regret for what she had done? She doubted it._

"_Well, I'll give you a few minutes. Don't want you going all emotional on me, y'know? I'll be in the car when you're ready." Yura watched her walk out of the room. 'Run, runaway from problems', she thought. Avoid the emotional attachment of others and worry about yourself, avoid dealing with anything._

_The idea struck her, not having to deal with anything. That could mean emotion-wise or even being caught; it could mean both. She turned the lock on her door, or the door to the room she had been given three weeks ago, and began stuffing her things in a duffle bag. Clothes, make-up, soap, a toothbrush, as many things as she could stuff in. She slipped off the black heels that had once belonged to her mother, exchanging them for a pair of her own flip flops. She took one last look at the door and thought it over. She chose the decision that would help her – she may as well be selfish now. _

_Yura slipped out the window and pulled the hood of her jacket over her head. She would never look back to what she had done or the life she had hated so._


End file.
